


This Christmas

by tmtcltb



Series: Mistletoe Chronicles [8]
Category: The Last Ship (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:27:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28223856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tmtcltb/pseuds/tmtcltb
Summary: Tex Nolan, Andrea Garnett, and their son Liam wake up on Christmas morning. AU. Set approximately ten years after the virus hit.
Relationships: Andrea Garnett/Tex Nolan
Series: Mistletoe Chronicles [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064906
Kudos: 1
Collections: 2020 The Last Ship Holiday Fest!





	This Christmas

"It's Christmas!"

Andrea Garnett cracked open an eye to check her alarm clock. A monstrosity that she brought from Norfolk to St. Louis years ago. One of the few items, other than pictures, that she had salvaged from her prior life before selling the house as-is. After twenty years of waking up to the shrill screech of her 1980s radio clock, the kind that didn't need to be recharged and automatically switched to battery power whenever the electricity went off, Andrea trusted that clock more than she trusted half of her crew. Which is how she knew that it was exactly 4:59 and far, far too early to be awake.

"Liam," Andrea said, letting her eyes fall closed. "What time did I say that you could wake us up?"

"Sorry Mom," seven-year-old Liam sounded so downcast that Andrea almost relented. Almost, that was, until Liam added, "But Dad said..."

Andrea's eyes popped open, rolling over to give her husband a look that would have had her subordinates quaking in their shoes. "What did Dad say?"

"Don't get all hot and bothered, Red," Tex replied, a twinkle in his eyes as he sat up, pulling the no-longer-so-little child onto his lap. Despite pushing sixty, Tex worked to keep himself in shape and Andrea found herself admiring his bare chest. "I told the boy that if he woke up early that he could come sleep with us until it was time to get up. It _is_ Christmas."

"But I'm not sleepy anymore," Liam pouted. "Can we make a blanket igloo?"

Andrea knew when she had lost, but she wasn't ready to admit it yet. "No. The two of you can read until it's actually time to get up. And we still can't open presents until Kat and Ray get here."

"Except stockings, right Mom?" Liam demanded, bouncing on the bed in a way that made even the concept of more sleep impossible. Thank goodness she didn't get motion sickness.

"Yes, Liam," Andrea replied, burying her face in her pillow.

Tex was laughing at her, Andrea knew it, but she refused to concede. Instead, she lay there watching as Tex put on his glasses and began to read Captain Underpants to Liam. A scene that Andrea never could have imagined ten years ago. Strange how life worked. How the very virus that took Bill and Lily from her also introduced Andrea to Tex, and set in motion a chain of events that would lead to this moment, when her heart was full to bursting with love for this man and child. And yet, even the thought brought so much guilt. Because how could she be so happy about her life with Tex and Liam, when being here meant not having Lilly and Bill? As though one family could possibly be interchangeable with the other.

As though sensing her internal turmoil, Tex glanced over. He stretched out his hand to brush a strand of hair, now more white than red, away from Andrea's face. "How about you go take a shower, Red? I'll get the boy up and dressed."

Deciding there was no point in pretending that she was going to get any more sleep, Andrea stood. She leaned down to press a kiss against Liam's forehead, holding his face between her hands. Taking a moment to look, really look, at her son. To memorize this moment. When he was halfway between infancy and teenagerhood, so big and yet still so little. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

"Merry Christmas, Mom." Liam grinned, bouncing around the bed as he waited for his father to roll out of bed. Something Tex no longer did quite as easily, cracking his back as he stood.

Andrea turned to Tex. "I set out Liam's dress clothes but might make sense to eat breakfast in pajamas. No stockings until I'm out there to see what Santa brought you, though."

Liam and Tex looked at each other, mischief dancing in both of their eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

Knowing that they were up to something, Andrea headed towards the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, freshly showered and dressed, Andrea made her way to the kitchen, only to stop dead in the doorway. Tex and Liam were eating pancakes in their pajamas, wearing ballcaps covered in strands of fake mistletoe and, in Liam's case, painted gold and red.

Liam was the first to notice her. "Mommy, mommy! Look what we made! We're wearing mistletoe! Now you have to give us both kisses every time you see us."

After giving her son a smooch, Andrea turned to Tex, shaking her head at the ridiculous sight he made wearing that thing on his head. Tex stretched out his arms, shaking his hips at her. "Come on, Red. Are you really going to leave me hanging here?"

After making Tex wait one more moment, Andrea walked over, wrapping her arms around him, planting a kiss on his cheek. "You're crazy. You know that, right?"

Bending her backwards without warning, causing Andrea to throw her arms around him with a very undignified screech, Tex dipped Andrea almost to the floor before planting a kiss on her lips. Returning them to standing, he waggled his eyebrows. "Merry Christmas, Red."

"Merry Christmas, Tex." Unable to stop herself from chuckling, Andrea gave him a proper kiss, before turning back to Liam. "So, what do you say? Time for stockings?"

Liam jumped to his feet. "Yeah!"

And then Andrea walked to the living room, hand-in-hand with her husband, to watch her son tear through his stocking. Setting aside thoughts of the past, of all the grief and guilt and the what-ifs. Forcing herself to focus on the present. To appreciate this moment. This man. This child.

Not wanting to miss a single second of her second chance at happiness.


End file.
